State puts Global Learning Charter Public School on probation

NEW BEDFORD — The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has placed the Global Learning Charter Public School on probation.

The vote, taken Tuesday, was unanimous and followed the recommendation of Commissioner Mitchell Chester.

Global Learning now has until September 2015 to make progress in academic achievement in math and English language arts, or risk having its charter revoked altogether.

In January 2012, Global Learning's charter was renewed by the state with two conditions, including that it demonstrate success on its MCAS in math and English language arts.

Global Learning, which has 501 students in Grades 5-12, was required to achieve a median student growth percentile (SGP) of 51 or greater in order to meet the conditions. In 2012, the school had an SGP of 44 for English language arts and 46 for math.

In 2013 both of those SGPs fell to 41 and 37, respectively.

The school did meet the second condition of creating an English language learner program but only after the deadline.

“(Global Learning) is currently in its seventh year of operation as a Commonwealth charter school,” wrote Chester in his recommendation to the board. “Because it has not met the academic conditions imposed, I recommend placing the school on probation.”

Global Learning Superintendent Dr. Stephen Furtado said Tuesday the school “is not going to duck and hide” from the decision.

“We are disappointed, but we are not surprised,” Furtado said. “We are just going to need to work harder and smarter to get ourselves out of this position.”

As a charter school, Global Learning is independently run from the local school committee. Now in its seventh year, the school's charter initially had to be approved by the committee, teachers' union and state Board of Education. It is partially funded by the local school district based on a state-devised formula.

Furtado said school administrators were themselves disappointed with the 2013 MCAS results, and had implemented new strategies to address the issue in July. Those programs included administering MCAS pre-tests to determine benchmark scores for individual students and revamping tutoring for students who need additional help. Now on probation, the school will be required to work with an educational consultant as well.

While he said he accepts the state's decision, Furtado said the school's student growth percentiles do not tell the full story.

He noted that in 2013, 93 percent of the school's 10th-graders scored proficient or higher in English and 71 percent did so in math. The school also has a 93 percent graduation rate, compared to New Bedford High School's 62.9 percent graduation rate.

“We look at our data longitudinally, and students who enter in fifth grade, by the time they take 10th-grade MCAS, they all pass,” Furtado said. “It's kind of ironic that we were placed on probation given that and our graduation rates.”

Global Learning will be holding an informational meeting for parents on Tuesday at 6 p.m. about the probation.

Mayor Jon Mitchell said he could not speak directly about the charter school because the city does not have authority over it. But, he said, if there are parents who need information about the probation, his office would be “happy to help.”

“My position about charters has been pretty clear; we want the charters that already exist to succeed,” he said. “But at the same time, the best approach to reforming education in New Bedford is to build a high-functioning school district in New Bedford that fills the needs of all kids.”

New Bedford schools are no stranger to state intervention. In October, the state announced it would take over the John Avery Parker elementary school. Superintendent Dr. Pia Durkin has also announced a plan to turn around the high school, in part, by replacing at least 50 percent of the faculty.

“More generally, I have made it clear that we need to reform the way we are educating our kids,” Mitchell said.

New Bedford Educators Association President Lou St. John said he thought that criticism of schools in New Bedford often overlooks the charter schools and unfairly falls on the public schools.

“This probation does not come as a surprise to me, but nobody ever talks about how they are a Level 3 school,” he said. “I don't want any school to fail, I wish them success, but I feel everyone focuses on the troubles of the New Bedford Public Schools, but theirs have not really been highlighted.”